Outline of topics for webinar for PEAs
By specialist Food Sensitivity Dietitian Joan Breakey
Overall PEAs have managed as best as they can for them. Each is different in the way the
issue affects their lives as adults. Using the ideas below each person can be more
sympathetic about their own situation and work out what small changes they may make to
make life easier.
• The webinar is for Joan to respond to issues raised by PEAs that are important to them. It will
not be a lecture. It is important that PEAs feel they can raise issues of how being a PEA
affects their lives. And to get the real life insights from a practitioner who has worked with
hundreds of PEAs
• PEAs could be forgiven for thinking their difficulties can’t be solved. After all their mothers
tried with them right throughout their childhood. On the other hand they could be forgiven for
believing there is some easy solution. They and their mother have often been told that
everything will go well if they just try some new idea. In fact the answer is that each person is
different so they can gradually find some helpful way for them
• The introduction of a diverse range of foods that many people manage is a big task early in
life so it is no wonder it can be very complicated and problematic for some. This can be for a
variety of reasons – family factors, nutrition, breastfeeding factors, the possibility of adverse
reactions, the baby being in distress, crying, waking at night, and others. Each baby is
different so in a way each baby is a picky eater. See Chap 1 of Fussy Babies.
• The idea of eating development was not widely understood until now so many PEAs did not
have the advantage of this knowledge. Now it is known it can be used. Where people have
problems with speech, coordination, reading or writing they are seen as having a
developmental delay and not judged. Yet where eating is concerned they are often judged
when the issues should be seen as part of eating development. See Chap 2 or Fussy Babies.
• Somehow those people with heightened discrimination about food and who become chefs or
food gourmets are not judged but PEAs are. The overlap of ideas here is important.
• Another important idea that is not well known is that many of the little problems that start to
show in infancy and continue in some form is food sensitivity, that is adverse reactions to
foods. The reactions can be tummy aches, rashes and other allergic symptoms, irritability,
frequent mood changes, sleep problems such as not settling, restless sleep, nightmares,
restless legs or waking very early, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), car
sickness, mouth ulcers, headaches and migraine. Fortunately diet investigation helps
determine what foods cause reactions and how to decrease the symptoms for people who are
susceptible. See Chap 3 of Fussy Babies, and Are You Food Sensitive?
• Supersensitivity is another important issue for many PEAs. The idea that some people are
supersensitive to smell, taste, light, texture, temperature, sound and some other inputs is not
understood in the general community at all. Most people think their degree of frustration with
smell or noise is much the same as others so they do not understand that for some one
particular smell or strength of smell can be so distressing that it means the appetite goes
completely. This is an interesting area to discuss.
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